Mixer for preparing feedstuffs

ABSTRACT

A mixer for preparing feedstuffs and mixing pre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seed products for animal feeding, comprising a container body which internally accommodates a cylindrical helical feeder rotatably supported by the heads of the container body for the advancement of the products to be mixed. A recirculation scroll is provided inside the region delimited by the feeder and is suitable to impart to the products to be mixed a movement in the opposite direction with respect to the feeder. A tubular element is further provided for containing at least a central portion of the recirculation scroll.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a mixer for preparing feedstuffsand mixing pre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seeds foranimal feeding.

[0002] As is known, for preparing feedstuffs and mixing fodders, mixersare currently used to homogenize the various products subsequentlydistributed to the feeding troughs.

[0003] Solutions of the prior art provide a container body whereinto twoscrolls operate being arranged side by side, the turns of such scrollshaving orientation in the opposite direction with respect to the centralportion, so that in practice the material is conveyed towards thecenter, where it rises and returns towards the peripheral region, whereit is taken again by the scroll, which continues the mixing process.

[0004] Other solutions use three scrolls; in this case also, an attemptis made to impart to the product a circulating motion which facilitatesmixing.

[0005] However, in the solutions of the prior art the products are, in away, “ill-treated” by the scrolls, which in many cases apply pressure,compaction and defibration actions, thus damaging the organolepticcharacteristics of the product.

[0006] Moreover, with the solutions of the prior art, cloggingfrequently occurs inside the mixer, with consequent further damage tothe product, which is subjected to a highly intense compacting action.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The aim of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioneddrawbacks, by providing a mixer for preparing feedstuffs and mixingpre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seeds for animal feedingwithout altering the characteristics of the product while maintainingthe product in a light and soft form which is particularly appreciatedby the animals.

[0008] Within this aim, a particular object of the invention is toprovide a mixer which allows to homogenize the various products in avery short time without causing the risk of clogging inside said mixer.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mixerwhich, thanks to its particular constructive characteristics, isextremely reliable and safe in use.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mixer forpreparing feedstuffs and mixing pre-shredded forage with variousfeedstuffs and seeds for animal feeding which can be easily obtainedstarting from commonly commercially available elements and materials andis competitive from a merely economical point of view.

[0011] This aim and these and other objects which will become betterapparent hereinafter are achieved by a mixer for preparing feedstuffsand mixing pre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seeds foranimal feeding, according to the invention, wherein it comprises acontainer body which internally accommodates a cylindrical helicalfeeder rotatably supported by the heads of the container body for theadvancement of the products to be mixed, a recirculation scroll beingprovided inside the region delimited by said feeder and being suitableto impart to the products to be mixed a movement in the oppositedirection with respect to said feeder, a tubular element for containingat least a central portion of said recirculation scroll being furtherprovided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages will become betterapparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusiveembodiment of a mixer for preparing feedstuffs and mixing pre-shreddedforage with various feedstuffs and seeds for animal feeding, illustratedonly by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the mixer according to the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the mixer, with the containershown in cross-section;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a sectional front elevation view of the mixer, takenalong a transverse plane;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the feeder and therecirculation scroll.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] With reference to the figures, the mixer for preparing feedstuffsand mixing pre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seeds foranimal feeding, according to the invention, generally designated by thereference numeral 1, comprises a container body 2 advantageously having,in a downward region, a semicylindrical shape 3 with slightly divergingsides 4.

[0018] The container body can preferably be trailer-mounted, and wheels5 are provided for this purpose.

[0019] A conventional power take-off 8 for drawing motion from a tractoris provided at the front head 7 of the container.

[0020] A feeder, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, isprovided inside the container body and is shaped like a cylindricalhelix with multiple starts; said feeder is constituted by a front cross11 and a rear cross 12, which in practice support band-like elements 13having a cylindrical helical arrangement and providing a helix withmultiple starts, for example four starts in the specific example.

[0021] The feeder 10 is designed to produce the advancement of theproducts to be mixed, and with reference to the drawings the productsare advanced towards the front head 7.

[0022] Inside the feeder or conveyor 10, and preferably coaxiallythereto, a recirculation scroll 20 is provided to return the materialtoward the rear head, thus producing a circulation of the material,which is not subjected to stress or compaction.

[0023] In order to avoid any compaction or damage to the material, thescroll 20 is arranged inside a tubular element 30 which affects thecentral portion of said region and preferably leaving free a space, atthe front head 7 whereat the material is introduced, larger than therear portion where the material is discharged and in practice taken upagain by the feeder 10.

[0024] A chain-type transmission unit, designated by the referencenumeral 40, is arranged at the rear head and allows to move the scrolland the feeder simultaneously.

[0025] Optionally it is also possible to use separate motor assembliesand change the speed ratios between the scroll and the feeder simply bychanging the transmission ratios.

[0026] As already mentioned, the scroll moves the material in theopposite direction with respect to the direction produced by the feeder.

[0027] This can be achieved by using counter-orientated helixes for thefeeder and the scroll, which rotate in the same direction;alternatively, in the case of helixes having the same orientation, it ispossible to reverse the direction of rotation between the scroll and thefeeder.

[0028] Moreover the bands 13 forming the feeder might be provided withholes in order to decrease the impact produced by friction with theadvancing material; this is particularly useful if flours are alsomixed, as they may create masses which are difficult to feed.

[0029] From the above description it is evident that the inventionachieves the intended aim and objects, and in particular the fact isstressed that a mixer is provided which allows to obtain optimum mixingin a short time without damaging to the product.

[0030] For the sake of descriptive completeness, it is observed that adischarge outlet, generally designated by the reference numeral 50, isprovided preferably at the front head, on the side of the container 2,and activated upon reaching the intended mixing for the product.

[0031] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerousmodifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of theappended claims.

[0032] All the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements.

[0033] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingentdimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements.

[0034] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. M12000A000741from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

[0035] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed byreference signs, those reference signs have been included for the solepurpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly,such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on theinterpretation of each element identified by way of example by suchreference signs.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mixer for preparing feedstuffs and mixingpre-shredded forage with various feedstuffs and seed products for animalfeeding, wherein it comprises a container body which internallyaccommodates a cylindrical helical feeder rotatably supported by theheads of the container body for the advancement of the products to bemixed, a recirculation scroll being provided inside the region delimitedby said feeder, and being adapted to impart to the products to be mixeda movement in the opposite direction with respect to said feeder, and atubular element for containing at least a central portion of saidrecirculation scroll.
 2. The mixer according to claim 1, wherein saidcontainer body has, in a transverse cross-section, a semicylindricalshape, which is arranged in a downward region thereof, with divergingsides.
 3. The mixer according to claim 1, wherein said container body isadapted to be trailer-mounted.
 4. The mixer according to claim 1,wherein said cylindrical helical feeder comprises a front cross and arear cross which support band-like elements forming a cylindrical helixwith multiple starts.
 5. The mixer according to claim 1, wherein itcomprises, at the rear head, a transmission unit for the movement bothof said scroll and feeder with a single power source.
 6. The mixeraccording to claim 1, wherein said scroll is coaxial to said feeder. 7.The mixer according to claim 1, wherein said scroll is helically shapedand said helix is oppositely orientated with respect to said feeder andturns in the same direction.
 8. The mixer according to claim 1, whereinsaid scroll is helically shaped and said helix has the same orientationas said feeder and turns in the opposite direction with respect to saidfeeder.
 9. The mixer according to claim 4, wherein said band-likeelements forming said feeder have holes in order to reduce the impactwith the advancing material.